Geneva - International trade in elephant ivory will remain banned, according to a vote at the World Wildlife Conference, known as CITES, in Switzerland.
Thursday's vote by a key committee makes it likely that the plenary session next week will uphold the prohibition of ivory sales.
An ivory statue, right, lies on top of pyres of ivory as they are set on fire in Nairobi National Park, Kenya. File picture: Ben Curtis/AP
Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe had proposed they be allowed to sell government-owned ivory stockpiles, in a one-time sale followed by a six-year moratorium. The proposal was defeated with 101 countries opposing and 23 countries in support, with 18 abstentions.
Kenya and several other African countries opposed the proposal to lift the ban on ivory sales, arguing that even restricted, legal sales would fuel greater demand for elephant ivory on the international market. The African Elephant Coalition, representing 32 African countries, opposed allowing any ivory sales.
Two young elephants play in Mikumi National Park, Tanzania. International trade in elephant ivory will remain banned, according to a vote at the World Wildlife Conference, known as CITES, in Switzerland. File picture: Ben Curtis/AP
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/hashtag/CITESCoP18?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CITESCoP18Com II did not accept proposed amendments to Res. Conf. 10.10 in order to close all domestic ivory markets but accepted draft decisions urging Parties that haven't closed #ivory markets to report on measures to ensure they do not contribute to poaching & illegal trade pic.twitter.com/2Pr3jrtaGn
— CITES (@CITES)
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/hashtag/CITESCoP18?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CITESCoP18Committee II didn’t agree proposed amendments to close all domestic ivory markets but accepted draft decisions urging Parties that haven't closed #ivory markets to report on measures to ensure they do not contribute to poaching & illegal trade. https://t.co/mOcy6t9Bkq
— Ivonne Higuero (@ivonnehiguero)